The Nigerian Government in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration, IOM, and other stakeholders has received 161 returnees from Libya.
The reception exercise, which was coordinated by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, NCFRMI, took place at the Cargo terminal of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
Representing the Federal Commissioner NCFRMI, the Southwest Zonal Coordinator, Mr. Alexander Oturu explained that “the migrants would be conveyed to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, camp where the NCFRMI and IOM have a tripartite agreement to provide temporary shelter for the returnees before they are provided with onward transportation allowance to enable them get to their final destination.”
He noted that whilst they would be receiving reintegration support from IOM, “the returnees would also be integrated into the various programmes of the Commission and other government agencies.”
“The migrants who were earlier stranded in Libya while attempting to migrate to Europe through the Mediterranean Sea were provided with welcome packs containing light refreshments, change of clothes, and toiletries by the Commission.
“They were also given onward transportation allowance by the International Organization for Migration, after which they will be given access to reintegration support,” Oturu explained
According to him, the returned migrants were made up of 87 males, 68 females, 5 children, and an infant
Officers from the NCFRMI and the Nigerian Immigration Service profiled the migrants and officers from Port Health, FAAN, Federal Ministry of Labour (Migrants Resource Centre), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Child Protection Network and Web of Hearts Foundation were also in attendance to assist.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
